Since I’m trying oh-so-hard to blog more, I decided to take a few snapshots of fashionistas and fashionistos that strolled through our boutique this past First Friday. I meant to get this post up on Saturday, but in le crazy life (crazy-busy) nothing gets done on time.

About three months ago, I decided that my next goal in life was to become a great crocheter. This was largely due to my grandmother, whom I idolize infinitely. She was an incredible women altogether, but I especially admire her painting and crochet talent. I was cuddled up in one of her afghans the night I decided that I want to be just like her when I grow up.

And thus began my crochet obsession. I love it so much, even to the point that I often have dreams of myself crocheting beautiful, amazing, magical, inventive things. It consumes my mind nearly all the time (You can probably expect lots and lots of crochet inspired blogs from here on out). I’m still very much in the beginning stage of learning, but I do impress myself now and again, when new techniques finally click and I have pretty results. I’ve made some cutesy headbands (which I now sell at Butter Toast, $7) and some scarves, a handbag, ect. But my new book, The Crochet Bible, has opened my eyes to so many new and wonderful projects to create. Recently, I was struggling with a fairly basic motif, the Granny Square. I tried and failed night after night of attempting it… Until about 2 days ago, when it finally just clicked. I don’t know how I figured out the mistake I was making, but when I did, it was an exciting breakthrough for me.

I have this amazing vintage floral chair at home, so I’ve decided my newest crochet project will be to create a matching granny squares accessory for it.

I haven’t quite decided yet if I’m going to make a matching pillow or afghan with my newly mastered granny squares. I’m also toying with the idea of making a few adorable motifs with matching yarn, and mounting/framing them to hang above the chair. The possibilities are endless with all the new techniques I’m learning!

Long time, no blog. Well we’re coming back in style..grandeur geek style. The following is a FANTASTIC geek men shoot featuring our favorite local photographer Nicolle Clemetson, and wardrobe by yours truly, Butter Toast. Most of these items are still available in the store…so c’mon down and geek out with us!

Hi lovlies. We just wanted to remind our fans of our upcoming fashion show this Saturday @ Bragg’s Pie Factory for the Grand Avenue Festival. We are really excited to be a part of this event celebrating recycling and adaptive-reuse. This is the first annual festival of hopefully many more to come, and we are grateful to part of the community behind it. We want to send out a special thanks to everyone who helped make this festival and our fashion show happen- we could not belong to a better community of hard working creative folks. And… a special thanks to our dear friends Amber and Diana of PainfullyHip.com who shall be models in our show, coming all the way up from Tuscon to support us! Thanks ladies ❤

Phoenix, AZ (September 14, 2009) – The Grand Avenue Festival, to be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009, has finalized a schedule of events including live music performances, fashion shows, adaptive re-use tours, open studios, and other special events throughout the day. The festival will focus on the theme of neighborhood sustainability and adaptive re-use of the Lower Grand Avenue arts and small business district. Everyone is invited to this free (except for adaptive re-use tours), day-long celebration.

Fashion Shows
Three fashion shows are planned for the afternoon and evening of the festival. The shows will feature the work of local artists, designers, and boutiques. “Recycled Wearable Art” presented by Lee Berger will be at 5pm at Bragg’s Pie Factory and will feature fashions made from reused materials. At 7pm “Local Boutique Fashions” will be presented at Bragg’s Pie Factory with fashions from Dragonfly Boutique, Wicked Wear, and Butter Toast Boutique, and music by Silver Medallion. At 8:30pm, Gloria Marsiglia will present “The BoHo Haute Hippie Movement” at Soul Invictus Theatre. This accessories fashion show will fuse Bohemian Hippie fashions, late 60s music, a light show, and special effects. All fashion shows are free.

Live Music Performances
A variety of music performances will be presented free of charge as part of the festival activities at The PHiX, Sweets & Beats, Rockin’ A, and The Loft. Bands include Flyaway Tigers, The Boys, The Super Funk All-Stars, The Chandails, Great Job, River Jones PRESENTS!, The Complainiacs, Snake Snake Snakes!, Liam and the Ladies, Ray Reeves & the Phoenix Sons, Boys and Frogs, Bolt, Some Never Sleep, The Package, Scorpian vs. Tarantula, Azul, Flux Manifesto, Haunted Cologne, Somber Sounds, Man About a Dog, and The Skinwalkers. Performances will start at 4:00pm and continue through midnight. A complete schedule of music will be available on the day of the festival.

Open Studios
Fifteen artist studios will be open to the public on the day of the festival from 10am to 6pm. The public is invited behind the scenes at these working studios: Jordre Studio, The Lodge Art Studio, Lucky Rabbit Studio, Studio of Jen Urso & Christy Puetz, Studio of Lee Berger, the ambient studio, Deus Ex Machina Gallery, Phoenix Fall Space, Studio 8, Moderncat Studio, Barry Sparkman Studio, Brad Konick Sculpture Studio, R. Booker Studio, Chris Caufield Studio, Trillion Clarke Studio.

Other Special Events
Businesses all along Lower Grand Avenue will host special events throughout the day including “The Trashy Sculpture Show” at Bragg’s Pie Factory; “Celebrating Woodstock” with acoustic music starting at noon at Gallery Marsiglia; glass blowing and pottery demonstrations, live music, and exhibits at Paisley Violin and Paisley Town; mural painting in the parking lot at Bragg’s Pie Factory; and free snowcones at ShopDevious.com. There will also be a raffle for art, jewelry, pottery and more hosted at Paisley Town. Neighborhood cafes and bars will be open for festival goers to purchase food and beverages. Parking is allowed along Grand Avenue on the day of the festival.

The Grand Avenue Festival is a project of the Grand Avenue Merchants’ Association. The 2009 Grand Avenue Festival is being sponsored by Downtown Voices Coalition, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation, Downtown Phoenix Journal/Urban Affair, New Times, Capitol Litho, Grand Oasis, Habitat Metro, CenPho.TV, and Yelp. For more information about the festival, please visit www.GrandAvenueFestivalAZ.com or follow the festival planning on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GrandAveFest.

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About the Grand Avenue Merchants’ Association
The purpose of the Grand Avenue Merchants’ Association (GAMA) is to actively and collectively promote a distinct, pedestrian-friendly arts and retail district along the Lower Grand Avenue Corridor*. GAMA coordinates efforts that encourage both existing and new independent, locally-owned businesses while preserving our corridor’s unique, historic and diverse character.

*Lower Grand Avenue Corridor is defined as all commercial property on Grand Avenue
from 7th Avenue to 19th Avenue and also commercial property that is parallel and estimated within 1/4 mile on either side of Grand Avenue between Van Buren and McDowell.